1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a cable closure and more particularly to a bracket which provides strain relief and electrical continuity for cables in a cable closure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Cable closures are well known and it is well known to anchor the cable with respect to the closure structure to avoid displacement of the cable ends from the closure. It is also necessary to provide continuity between the shields of cables which are either spliced or terminated in the closure.
The present device affords a method of providing both strain relief and the electrical continuity of the cable shield. The bracket of the present invention is adapted for use in a pedestal closure, a pole mounted closure or in other splice closures where the ends of the spliced cables are justapositioned.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,059,748 discloses a reenterable splice closure comprising a base and a dome of a typical pedestal type closure. The base 1 is provided with a bonding harness 10. The bonding harness is disposed within the closure such that braided or other straps that connect bond clamps to the cables can be connected to the mounting. In column 5, this patent discusses the preference of a separate strain relief, such as the part 13, and it also states that the bond harness may be of the rigid type in which the mounting has lugs or other parts that connect directly to the bond clamps. In this way, the cables are mechanically secured to the base and may be electrically grounded to one another.
An earlier patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,725,580, discloses the use of a ring of ductile metal of good conductivity enclosed in a housing. The ring includes a plurality of tangs of generally U-shape and each sized to readily embrace the exposed shielding of a selected drop wire or service wire. The tangs are clinched about the wires to tightly grip the shield. The purpose is to provide electrical continuity.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,431,349 discloses a cable termination closure with a grounding crossbar 20 which extends horizontally across the interior of the upper housing section. This cross bar is a channel shaped metal stamping which is positioned with the flanges depending from the uppermost web and the flanges 22 are provided with apertures 27 to provide for receipt of a tightenable hose clamp which anchors the cable. A grounding ribbon may be wrapped around the cables to make connection with the grounding shield to afford continuity of the ground between adjacent cables supported from the flanges 22 of the crossbar 20.
Other types of strain relief and cable support members are shown in international publication No. WO 90/05401, wherein in FIG. 20A and 20B, a device is shown which may be secured to a sealing means to provide mechanical strength and electrical earth continuity for cables connected thereto by securing means such as bolt 64.
These and other prior art devices may exist but of those known, they are not specifically designed for providing strain relief and electrical continuity and they are not specifically designed to reduce the space needed to terminate the cables and to afford easy connection and retention of the cables to the support member.
The device of the present invention is easily positioned about the cables and retention clips applied to the shields of the cables and to the strain relief device to support the cable and provide electrical continuity between cables.